System and method for monitoring and reporting a person's phone usage while driving

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring, analyzing, and reporting cell phone usage. Multiple sensors provide inputs related to the interaction between a cell phone user and a cell phone. The inputs from the sensors are compared to normative data, and an output indicative of the operating environment of the cell phone is provided.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of monitoring, analyzing and reporting usage by a user of a mobile device in a variety of operating environments, the operating environments characterized by various speeds and modes and including the operating environment of a motor vehicle, the mobile device having a keyboard and being subject to the various speeds and modes of the operating environment, the method including the steps of:
 collecting data during operation of the mobile device, the operation of the mobile device including particular sessions of interaction of the user with the keyboard of the mobile device, wherein the keyboard is a downloadable keyboard application that replaces the mobile device's default keyboard and remains operational during all subsequent keyboard sessions with the mobile device, and the data collected comprising—
 a keystroke specific dataset, wherein the keystroke specific dataset parameters include whether the mobile device is in Day /Night mode, Speed, Distance, triaxial accelerometer magnitude, GPS, gyroscope, 
 a word specific dataset, wherein the word specific dataset parameters include Start/End Times, First/Last Keystrokes, whether the mobile device is in Day /Night mode, Start/End GPS, Distance, Number of Characters, Number of Keystrokes, Number of Backspaces, Min/Max Speed, Average Speed, Start/End Gyroscope, Start/End Accelerometer, 
 a session specific dataset, wherein the session specific dataset parameters include Start/End Time, First/Last keystroke, whether the mobile device is in Day /Night mode, Start/End GPS, Distance, Number of Characters, Number of Keystrokes, Number of Backspaces, Number of Words, Min/Max Speed, Average Speed, Start/End Gyroscope, Start/End Accelerometer, and 
 the keystroke specific, word specific and session specific datasets relating to usage of the mobile device by the user; 
 
 categorizing the keystroke specific, word specific and session specific datasets based on the various speeds and modes of the operating environment; 
 analyzing each of the keystroke specific, word specific and session specific datasets to establish a baseline profile for the user, wherein the baseline profile is established by identifying changes in the user's cadence and error rate at various speeds and modes of movement based on the keystroke specific, word specific and session specific datasets; 
 comparing the keystroke specific, word specific and session specific datasets in a particular session to the baseline profile for the user to determine the probability of whether the user is operating a motor vehicle; 
 creating a report based off of determination of the probability of whether the user is operating a motor vehicle; and 
 sending the report to an acknowledged third party recipient. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the keystroke specific dataset stores parameters that relate to each keyboard keystroke. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the word specific dataset stores parameters that relate each word or keystroke groupings. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the session specific dataset stores parameters that relate to each user session. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein sessions of interaction of the user with the keyboard of the mobile device are defined as beginning with the user's engagement with the mobile device, and ends with the user's removal of the keyboard.